Pre-med Gap Year

At Boston Specialists, training the future great minds of medicine is one of our foundational missions. For recent college graduates, we offer a competitive, paid, year-long internship to expose promising individuals to various facets of healthcare. Our interns are a key part of our medical team; they work directly with patients, interface with outside healthcare professionals, and take extensive documentation in an electronic medical record system. We nurture our interns’ diverse interests in computer science, community service, and leadership. Our interns have engaged in research projects that have resulted in presentations, abstracts, and publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals. They have also worked extensively with local communities in healthcare advocacy and patient education.

Program details

The clinical assistant program is a unique opportunity for pre-med students to get first-hand experience of working directly with patients. This program is developed specifically to prepare pre-med students who are pursuing a medical career. The roles in this position will include the tasks of a medical assistant, scribe, patient care coordinator, and medical record manager. In these roles, you can expect first hand clinical exposure to a vast array of GI and allergic/immunologic conditions and begin to develop and understanding of their medical management. This direct patient contact will help you to develop the appropriate skills for communication in patient education and involvement in the coordination of their care. Upon completion of this training program, one could expect to have developed a better sense of professionalism in medicine, strong work ethic, improved skills in effective communication, and an appreciation for the patient/physician relationship.

From an educational standpoint, you should expect to be charged with reading, research projects, case discussions/presentations and regular weekly staff meetings. You will also have the benefit of direct mentorship from Dr. Leung, who is the only dual board certified gastroenterologist and allergist in the States, with whom you will work very closely each day. Structured training will be provided. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for anyone embarking on a medical career.

Further than clinical experience, past students have been able to obtain experience in clinical research, healthcare management, and medical-legal work. All of our past students have been accepted to highly competitive medical schools.

Applicant criteria

Because our gap year program is highly intensive, we look for students who are committed to pursuing a career in medicine and are fastidious, resilient, and quick learners. We also look for good team players who are amiable and possess excellent communication skills. In addition, we are looking for the following criteria:

  1. Only applicants with a GPA >3.8 and MCAT >515 at the time of application are encouraged to apply.

  2. Only candidates who are committed to applying to medical school are encouraged to apply.

  3. Applicants with prior research publications are strongly encouraged to apply.

We are hiring for a January start date, and a summer start date. To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to admin@bfac.org. We generally begin accepting applicants in September of the year prior to their start date.

If you do not meet these criteria, you may still consider our volunteer program. Click here for more information.

Our Recent Alumni

Our past interns have achieved incredible heights working for Boston Specialists, and we are extremely proud to present our alumni. We are confident that they are the future champions of medicine and will succeed in pushing the boundaries of healthcare and science. We wish you the best of luck.

Class of 2019

Name

Jessica Igiede

Undergraduate Institution

University of Notre Dame

Medical School

Rush Medical College

Class of 2021

Name

Claire Buxton

Kristen Park

Undergraduate Institution

Northeastern University

Johns Hopkins University

Medical School

University of Washington School of Medicine

Penn State College of Medicine

Class of 2022

Name

Twan Sia

Kendall Garrett

Riki Tanaka

Rebecca Nitschelm

Sarah Johnson

Undergraduate Institution

Swarthmore College

Cornell University

University of Michigan

University of Michigan

Northeastern University

Medical School

Stanford University School of Medicine

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences

UMass Chan Medical School

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Class of 2023

Undergraduate Institution

Tufts University

Boston University

Boston University

Cornell University

University of Michigan

UNC Chapel Hill

Duke University

Northeastern University

Boston University

Swarthmore College

University of Michigan

Name

Evan Cunningham

Taylor Epstein

Anya Gupta

Ziqi Guo

Stephanie Johnson

Julia Logan

Emily Mawyer

Yasmine Myftija

Michelle Pan

Ally Scheve

Haitong Yu

Medical School/Professional School

University of Connecticut School of Medicine

Stony Brook University School of Health Professions

Georgetown University School of Medicine

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

Tufts University School of Medicine

Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

University of Michigan Medical School (MD/PhD)

Harvard Medical School

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Class of 2024

Name

Yuting Jiang

Raisa Khuda

Kathleen Love

Paige McDonald

Alyssa Roby

Saad Shami

Michelle Zheng

Danica Dong

Undergraduate Institution

Boston College

Boston University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Boston College

University of Michigan

University of Michigan

Boston University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Medical School

Tufts University School of Medicine

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Georgetown University School of Medicine

Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

University of Michigan Medical School

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Class of 2025

Name

Leeon Bacchus

Bridget O’Hearn

Stanley Liu

Matt Sandifer

Madison Headen

Maggie Torstrick

Sawyer Fleishman

Undergraduate Institution

Boston University

Tufts University

Boston University

Johns Hopkins University

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of Southern California

Vanderbilt University

Medical School

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

NYU Grossman School of Medicine

University of North Carolina School of Medicine

Emory University School of Medicine

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Gap Year Publications

Gap years have the opportunity to take initiative and conduct research under the mentorship of Dr. Leung, which has led to multiple successful publications, abstracts, and awards. Below is a summary of gap year-led research projects.

  1. Hardwick G, Sia T, Bacchus L, Jia X, Chin AR, Khavaria N, El Haija MA, McGhee S, Chinthrajah RS, Leung J, Sindher SB. Management of eosinophilic esophagitis in pediatric patients undergoing oral immunotherapy for food allergies: A two-center case series. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. March 2025:13(3):702-704.. 

  2. Matmatte S, Narayanan DH, Sia T, Shami S, Fu J, Tan PE, Leung J. Asymptomatic Systemic Mastocytosis Uncovered During Routine Colonoscopy. Cureus. 2024;16:e60286. 

  3. Sia T, Tanaka R, Mousad A, Narayan A, Si K, Bacchus L, Ouerghi H, Patel A, Patel A, Cunningham E, Epstein T, Fu J, Liu S, Khuda R, McDonald P, Mallik S, McNulty J, Pan M, Leung J. Fructose malabsorption and fructan malabsorption are associated in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. BMC Gastroenterol. 2024;24:143. 

  4. Fu J, Sia T, Solecki R, Mallik S, Khuda R, Headen M, Bacchus L, Zheng M, Telukunta T, Shami S, Liu S, Sureshbabu S, Love K, Roby A, McDonald P, Jiang Y, Narayanan DH, Matmatte S, Tan PE, Leung J. Upadacitinib achieves clinical and histologic remission in a patient with eosinophilic gastritis and duodenitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2024;12:1649-1651.

  5. Sia T, Miller A, Bacchus L, Young J, Narayan AP, Solecki R, Fu J, Jiang Y, Khuda R, Liu S, Love K, Mallik S, Matmatte S, McDonald P, Telekunta T, Roby A, Shami S, Zheng M, Headen M, Leung J. Dupilumab improves clinical and histologic features of eosinophilic esophagitis prior to 12 weeks of treatment. Clin Transl Allergy. 2024;14:e12333.

  6. Sia T, Bacchus L, Tanaka R, Khuda R, Mallik S, Leung, J. Dupilumab can induce remission of eosinophilic gastritis and duodenitis: A retrospective case series. Clin Transl Gastroenterol. 2024;15:e00646.

  7. Sia T, Bacchus L, Cunningham E, Hsia K, Miller M, Epstein T, Myftija Y, Mousad A, Sai Dinesh Y, Maddisetty H, Chandra V, Guo Z, Gupta A, Johnson S, Logan J, Mawyer E, Scheve A, Yu H, Leung J. Elevated total serum immunoglobulin A levels in patients with suspicion for celiac disease. J Clin Med. 2023;12.

  8. Sia T, Cunningham E, Miller M, Nitschelm R, Tanaka R, Epstein T, Garrett K, Huang A, Pak D, Scheve A, Leung J. Food elimination diet is a viable alternative therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis responsive to proton pump inhibitors. BMC Gastroenterol. 2023;23:60.

  9. Leung J, Sia T, Miller M, Cunningham E, Buxton C, Huang A, Pak D, Johnson S, Dadlani A, Epstein T, Garrett K, Nitschelm R, Tanaka R, White T, Park K.. Combination of Proton Pump Inhibitors and Food Elimination Diet for Eosinophilic Esophagitis Refractory to Monotherapy. Gastro Hep Advances. 2022;1:596–600.

Gap Year Awards + Grants

  1. Jerry Fu (Class of ‘24) - International Eosinophil Society Travel Grant to the 13th Biennial Conference in Montpellier, France

Gap Year Abstracts

  1. Fu J, Love K, Sia T, Nair J, Wu M, Cohen A, Bacchus L, Mallik S, Solecki R, Khuda R, Headen M, Zheng M, Telukunta T, Shami S, Liu S, Sureshbabu S, Love K, Roby A, McDonald P, Jiang Y, Fikri L, O'hearn B, Narayanan DH, Cunningham E, Matmatte SA, Tan PE, Leung J. Upadacitinib is a promising therapeutic approach for refractory eosinophilic gastritis and duodenitis. CURED Research Conference and Patient Education Program, Cincinnati, OH., 2024

  2. Sia T, Bacchus L, Roby A, Mallik S, Fu J, Love K, Solecki R, Khuda R, Headen M, Zheng M, Telukunta T, Shami S, Liu S, Sureshbabu S, McDonald P, Jiang Y, Fikri L, O'Hearn B, Narayanan DH, Cunningham E, Matmatte S, Tan PE, Leung J. Histologic and Symptomatic Remission of Eosinophilic Gastritis and Duodenitis with Dupilumab. CURED Research Conference and Patient Education Program, Cincinnati, OH., 2024

  3. Shami S, Liu S, Sia T, Fikri L, Leung J. Histologic and Symptomatic Remission of Eosinophilic Esophagitis Prior to 12 Weeks of Treatment with Dupilumab. CURED Research Conference and Patient Education Program, Cincinnati, OH., 2024

  4. Solecki R, Cunningham E, Sia T, Leung J. Histologic Remission with Proton Pump Inhibitors and Food Elimination Diet Combination Therapy for Eosinophilic Esophagitis Refractory to Monotherapy. CURED Research Conference and Patient Education Program, Cincinnati, OH., 2024

  5. Sia T, Miller A, Bacchus L, Young J, Narayan AP, Solecki R, Fu J, Jiang Y, Khuda R, Liu S, Love K, Mallik S, Matmatte AS, McDonald P, Telukunta T, Roby A, Shami S, Zheng M, Headen M, Leung J. Baseline Characteristics of EoE Do Not Predict Histologic Response to Dupilumab: Retrospective, Real-world Study. Digestive Disease Week, Washington, D.C., 2024.

  6. Matmatte SA, Khuda R, Sia T, Narayanan DH, Fu J, Shami S, Sureshbabu S, Mallik S, Love K, Bacchus L, Solecki R, Headen M, Zheng M, Telukunta T, Liu S, Roby A, McDonald P, Jiang Y, Leung J. Scurvy Presenting as Lobular Hemorrhagic Panniculitis: A Nutritional Complication of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders. CURED Research Conference and Patient Education Program, Cincinnati, OH., 2024

  7. Sandifer M, Kumar A, Herath R, Sia T, Bacchus L, Liu S, Leung J. Subcutaneous Immunotherapy In A Patient Taking Ofatumumab For Multiple Sclerosis and Upadacitinib For Atopic Dermatitis. North East Society of Allergists Spring Meeting 2025, Worcester, MA 2025

  8. Bacchus L, Bahar D, Torstrick M, Sia T, Modi S, Apollon A, Werd E, Kumar A, Herath R, Leung J. Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis In Pediatric Patients Undergoing Oral Immunotherapy For Food Allergies: A Two-Center Case Series

  9. Sia T, Fikri L, O'Hearn B, Fleishman S, Matmatte AS, Bacchus L, Whyte R, Werd E, Apollon A, Ashraf A, Herath R, Bahar D, Wu E, Leung J. Treatment Outcomes of Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis Refractory to Dupilumab: A Retrospective Case Series. North East Society of Allergists Spring Meeting 2025, Worcester, MA 2025

  10. Sia T, Solecki R, Whyte R, Bacchus L, Kumar A, Fikri L, Herath R, Apollon A, Werd E, Ashraf A, Wu E, Bahar D, Leung J. Dupilumab For Adult and Adolescent Patients With Primary Eosinophilic Colitis. New England Society of Allergy Spring 2025 Meeting, Worcester, MA 2025

  11. Sia T, Bacchus L, Si K, Liu S, Fu J, Matmatte AS, Kumar A, Apollon A, Leung J. Oral Viscous and Topical Corticosteroids Improve Clinical, Histologic, and Endoscopic Features In Patients With Lymphocytic Esophagitis. Digestive Disease Week, San Diego, California 2025

  12. Shami S, Liu S, Sia T, Fikri L, Wu E, Werd E, Leung J. Histologic and Symptomatic Remission of Eosinophilic Esophagitis Prior to 12 Weeks of Treatment with Dupilumab. North East Society of Allergists Spring Meeting 2025, Worcester, MA 2025

  13. Mallik S, McDonald P, Sia T, Bacchus L, Solecki R, Fu J, Love K, Khuda R, Headen M, Zheng M, Telukunta T, Shami S, Liu S, Sureshbabu S, Love K, Roby A, Jiang Y, Fikri L, O'Hearn B, Narayanan DH, Cunningham E, Matmatte SA, Leung J. Baseline characteristics of eosinophilic esophagitis do not predict histological remission induced by dupilumab. CURED Research Conference and Patient Education Program, Cincinnati, OH., 2024

  14. Sia T, Bacchus L, Ashraf A, Dhupati S, Si K, Liu S, Fu J, Matmatte AS, Kumar A, Apollon A, Werd E, Fikri L, Herath R, Sandifer M, Whyte R, Bahar D, Wu E, Leung J. Oral Viscous and Topical Corticosteroids Improve Clinical, Histologic, and Endoscopic Features In Patients With Lymphocytic Esophagitis. North East Society of Allergists Spring Meeting 2025, Worcester, MA 2025